LUDOS Asia Collection

The LUDOS Collection was born to preserve games of the past, for the generations of the future. The first volume, LUDOS Asia features four, 2-player ancient strategy games from Japan (Hasami Shogi), Mongolia (Jarmo), Nepal (Bagh Chal) and Korea (Yut). 2500+ backers supported this project on Kickstarter.

Hasami Shogi – Japan
History: Hasami Shogi, often called “Scissor Chess”, is a variant of the Japanese game Shogi. The name comes from the way players capture enemy pieces between two of their own pieces. How to play: Control an army of 18 samurai warriors, and form 5 in a row to win.

Jarmo – Mongolia
History: Jarmo is a war game with roots tracing back to the Turkic peoples (Tatars) of the 8th century Mongol Empire. In the game, two players assume the roles of opposing armies, whose archers are trying to infiltrate the enemy camp. How to play: Command a unit of 5 archers, and be the first to infiltrate the enemy camp.

Bagh Chal – Nepal
History: Bagh Chal is a 1000-year-old board game, native to Nepal. Originally, people would carve the board’s 5×5 grid into sand or stone, and use pebbles as game pieces. The theme of the game mimicked the threat of tigers on the hunt for animals that strayed from the herd. How to play: Control a herd of 20 goats or a pack of 4 tigers, and be the first to corner all tigers or devour 5 goats.

Yut – Korea
History: Yut is a horse racing game from Korea with roots going back almost 2000 years. In centuries past, it was primarily used for gambling, but today, many Korean families gather to play Yut as a fun activity during Chinese New Year. How to play: Use the result of casting sticks and be the first to cross the winning post with all of your horses.